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THE CRUISE 

OF THE 

U. S. S. DIXIE; 


' OR, 

On "boa,rcL Txritli. tlxe IL^ar^rlsuncL 33 03^3 

IN THE 

SPANISH-ilMERIC^lN WFLR. 


A NARRATIVE. 


=037- 



TSZV' O. PiLTITE. 



WASHINGTON, D. C. : 

E. C. JONES, PRINTER. 

1899. 



APOLOGIES 


The author of this little volume does not pretend to be a 
competitor in the world of letters for literary honors or dis- 
tinction, inasmuch as journalism is not his vocation and prob- 
ably never will be. Therefore, the little story within this book 
does not solicit the attention and the scrutiny of book critics 
the same as would the composition of a “dashing” literary 
genius. Classical phrases and sentimental rhetoric is not 
aimed at, and certainly not reached by the author as he is aware 
of. The object is to tell a plain, but interesting story in a sim- 
ple and wholesome way, relating nothing but that which did 
actually occur from day to day during the period of which we 
write. The author can boast of one thing, however, and that 
is, his motive for writing this story. Possibly no publication 
has had a better object to cater to than this little booklet. 
Aside from being a souvenir of the War with Spain, especially 
for the people of Maryland, and a true relic of the good ship 
Dixie — which will be immortal in the memory of the grand old 
commonwealth, whose sons made up its crew during the w ar — 
it is also intended to be a charitable work. The writer of it 
has undertaken to establish an Industrial School at Ponce, 
Porto Rico, and the profits which may accrue from this publi- 
cation will be devoted to this noble and much needed work. 



TUB Cruise of lire U. S. S. Dixie. 


A NARRATIVE. 

After several weeks of anxious watching on 
the IL S. Receiving Ship Franklyn, which lay in 
port at Portsmouth Navy Yard, for orders to pro- 
ceed to the U. S. S. Dixie, which was being fitted 
out at Newport News for our crew, our fondest 
hopes were finally realized by the appearance of 
Capt. C. H. Davis with the orders that our ship 
was ready and awaiting her crew, and that we 
should proceed to man her. It would be hard to 
describe the expressions of joy which were mani- 
fested among our men at the giving of this order. 
No man could lash his hammock too well or gird 
on his haversack too quick. All were imbued 
with the one idea — that the sooner we started 
the sooner we would return with victory. A 
small steamer soon put in its appearance, and 
we went aboard with our hammocks and cloth- 
ing, and were soon gliding across the waters in 
the direction of Newport News, where laid our 
very large and beautiful cruiser with her big 
six-inch guns and her six six-pounders looking 
as if with a frown of wicked challenge to the 


6 


. Spanish Navy with which she expected in some 
degree soon to compete. A cheer soon went up 
from our boys as they drew in sight of the noble 
spectacle. 

It took but a few minutes to convey us to the 
deck of our Ship of War, and we immediately 
“turned to” and set about getting things in or- 
der. A few days and everything was ready for 
war on the Dixie. 

, A fashionable visit was paid our big ship just 
a few days before, we pulled out from Newport 
News for Hampton Roads by two very distin- 
guished parties wh,o : came aboard to wish God’s 
blessing upon us, and pay their compliments to 
the good ship and her crew. The distinguished 
visitors were Mrs. C. H. Davis and her daughter 
Miss Elizabeth Davis, Senator and Mrs Henry 
Cabot Lodge, and some others whom we cannot 
now remember. These constituted the first 
party. The second one was made up with guests 
from ("apt, I. E. Emerson’s ^acht. Among them 
were Mrs. Capt. Emerson and several society la- 
dies of Baltimore, Md., Capt. Emerson and some 
official gentlemen from the State of Maryland 
The guests assembled in the captain’s cabin after 
taking a good look at our ship and glancing with 
admiration and respect at our brave boys who 
were going to master it at sea, and with all our 
officers present feeling very happy at being hon- 
ored with the presence of the distinguished 
well wishers, they joined in a light repast and 





Capt. Chas. Henry Davis, 

Commander U, S. S. Dixie. 






7 


refreshed themselves, with the toast “ Success 
to the Dixie and her crew.” The presence of 
our visitors inspired us all with more patriotism 
because we realized that our countrymen felt an 
interest in us and the cause for which we had 
espoused. Moreover, it made our ship have a 
home-like appearance while the ladies were 
aboard, and if they knew how much cheer and 
comfort they usually carry on board a ship they 
would make their visits more frequent. I am 
sure all of us regretted to see our distinguished 
visitors depart, feeling as if we might never 
meet again on earth. 

Our men had not lost a day in idleness ; target 
practice and drills of all kind necessary to the 
good of the Naval Service were participated in. 

The next thing looked for by our men was a 
real, genuine fight, and with impatience did we 
wait for orders from Washington to move to the 

r 

scene of action. 

On June 13th the Quartermaster was ordered 
to hoist his sailing pennant, then we all knew 
that our orders had arrived at last. 

Where were we to go ? Every man seemed 
to have his own idea about this. 

In their eagerness to know just what is going 
on aboard a War Ship (and that a sailor can not 
know, no more so than a private can in the Army) 
a man needs only to tell some most incredulous 
story, and all his comrades will know of it in 
less than ten minutes and gather about in squads 


8 


to discuss it ; each blinding his own feelings 
to the false color of the story. Tims, among 
a crew of novice seamen there is always some- 
thing going to happen, that never happens. 
From rumors prevalent on board the Dixie at 
the time of which I now speak, our old ship 
was going to perform many strange things in as 
many different sections of the world, but how- 
ever we were under sailing orders and no man 
on board seemed to regret it. The fact that we 
were going out in anticipation of meeting some 
of the many Spanish commerce destroyers and 
war ships, which we had been informed 
through the daily press were threatening our 
coasts; yet not a single man shrank from what 
was supposed to be a perilous cruise of life and 
death for the young patriots. For a few hours 
we were kept quite busy taking on fresh provis- 
ions (such as are not carried in the ship’s stores) 
after which the Chief Boatswain mate blew his 
sharp, piercing whistle, which always demands 
the attention of every man on board. After 
gaining the attention of his men he yelled out 

“All hands up anchor.” It would be more in- 
teresting to the reader if I could but blow the 
Boatswain mate’s whistle and make his yell 
right here, but as I can not do that, I can try to 
describe them, as this Jack Tar and his whistle 
are two essentials on board a fighting ship. In 
the first place the Boatswain mate receives his 
special orders from the officer of the deck, who 


9 


j> 


is supposed to be generally on the “bridge” or 
“look-out,” then he puts his little silver whistle 
to his mouth and makes a half note of lower 
“do” and runs up to upper “do,” which he holds 
long enough to count four beats, then he drops 
to lower “do” and finally cuts it off at upper “do” 
with a quarter-note. (If the reader knew how 
much, or rather how little, the writer of this 
little booklet understands of music, the above 
attempt to describe the boatswain mate’s 
whistle would truly make them laugh), but there 
is a whistle which accompanies or rather pre- 
cedes the command of this chief “Jack Tar,” and 
I have only undertaken to blow one of his fa- 
miliar airs, which he blows wTien he can’t think 
of the right one.’ His veil — I know it — I will 
never forget it, because he would invariably call 
upon 4 *all hands to do his bidding,” and I felt 
as if I were one of those hands, as a matter 
of course. You would think the “all” had 
lodged in the poor fellow’s throat, but finally he 
would cough it up. Sometimes “all hands 
spread awnings,” “all hands up all hammocks,” 
“stand by your scrub and wash clothes,” “all 
the port watch below,” etc. 

But we are interested in the command which 
gave us all joy at Hampton Roads on June 13th, 
1898. 

“All hands up anchor !” That meant we were 
going to sail out on high seas to avenge the 
treacherous sinking of our noble ship Maine and 
for “Cuba Libre.” 


Before I leave our Chief Boatswain mate with 
his yells and whistles let me tell my readers 
that I do not wish to impress them that our 
chiefs were a bad set by any means. They were 
usually jolly and good. 

Superintended by Ensign Geo. C. Lodge it did 
not take long to weigh anchor, since, as I have 
stated already, we were eager to get on the way. 

Swiftly did we steam down the bay until we 
reached Cape Henry, where we came to anchor 
once more to the regret of all on board. 

Of course we did not know what to make of 
this sudden interruption in our journey, which 
we hoped would hurry us to Cuba. 

Soon one of the many small boats which the 
Dixie carried was called away by our little bugler 
boy. 

It may interest the reader to know that all of 
our boats had their “ cute” little names and our 
little bugler boys not only know all their names, 
about twelve or fifteen in all, but also knew by 
memory the tune which belonged to each name. 
The boat we now speak of was the Whale boat. 
After the Whale boat dropped into the surging 
billows of the sea her crew began to climb rap- 
idly down into it, and Lieut. Lodge came forth 
with his sword buckled neatly to his side and 
climbed down into the boat faking charge of the 
crew. He gave orders to “shove off” and the 
boat’s course was directed toward the light- 
house at Cape Henry. It was evident that this 







Brave Charles Lewis, 

The Ship’s Bugler. 

“ I don't care how fast the shells fall, when the 
Captain wants me I will be here in my place, 
unless I am cut down by one of them/’ 





» 























11 



would be along row if they were going to the 
light house, for we were fully five miles from 
that place. It turned out they did go to the 
light house, and after an interval of a few hours 
returned and then it was we learned that the 
Dixie was to wait for another ship and that the 
Whale boat crew’s errand to the light-house was 
to ascertain whether this ship had passed or not. 
It had not passed, and this necessitated our wait- 
ing over all night within the capes. The next 
day about 1 o’clock the Celtic steamed up to us, 
and Lieut. Merriam spoke to her through the 
speaking trumpet, inquiring as to her cargo and 
speed. It was with pleasure that we learned 
of the Celtic’s great supply of fresh meat and 
other food, but we were not pleased to learn that 
she could only make ten or twelve knots an hour. 
We could make sixteen knots without forcing 
our engines in the least. 

Capt. Davis commanded the Celtic to take the 
Mole St. Nicholas course and proceed under 
full steam. 

In about two hours we had u weighed” and 
“stowed” our anchor and set out under full 
speed to overtake our consort, which must now 
be at least some twenty miles away. Soon we 
were upon the high seas, where but a few of our 
boys had ever seen before. 

We caught up with the Celtic sometime before 
dark, and like two mighty black sea monsters 
we plowed through the billows side by side dur- 


12 


ing the following night. The next day we were 
many miles down the Virginia coast, and in the 
first part of the day we could see in the distance 
what probably might have been the last view of 
our American soil so beautiful and grand. 

I would have nothing in particular to say about 
what happened on the day which we now speak 
of were it not for that dreaded water pestilence 
known as sea-sickness. This epidemic not being 
a dangerous one, generally makes considerable 
sport on board a ship, as it did in this case. 

The first morning at sea presented a sympa- 
thetic spectacle on our ship; we were staggering, 
dropping and lying about anywhere and every- 
where ; very few wanted their breakfast, and 
those who did eat theirs, in many cases, could 
not keep it down, which made those who were 
more fortunate than to be sea-sick jovially ridi- 
cule their sick comrades about feeding Spanish 
mackerel against the wishes of Uncle Sam. 

When the bugler sounded the sick call that 
first morning at sea, there were few indeed who 
did not go down to the “ sick bay ” to receive 
nothing from the doctor but a sympathetic smile, 
which also indicated that he knew better than 
to feed his medicine away to Spanish mackerel, 
for there is no known cure for sea-sickness but to 
let it wear off in its own time. We found a 
favorable relief in eating another meal as quick- 
ly as possible after losing one ; and in a day or 
two we were ourselves again. 


i:J 

. 4 

It was on the third day of our voyage, so beau- 
tiful and clear, that we met the first sight of a 
ship, which we steamed after in order to ascer- 
tain her cargo. As far as I was able to learn 
the little boat was a fishing smack belonging to 

some of the British Isles. Its crew was evi- 

. » ; 

dently in sympathy with our cause, for . as we 
drew near enough for them to see our big ( guns 
protruding out from our decks they gave a wild 
cheer for the United States. We did not send 
an investigating party aboard this little craft, 
which looked so lonesome on the “wide, wide 
deep,” for as I before stated it was evident that 
she was only a little fisherman. Our consort had 
gained quite a distance on us when we turned 
our attention toward her and proceeded to catch 
up our lost position, which gave us a chance to 
spurt through the waters at full speed for an 
hour or two ; for we must have been by this time 
in waters too dangerous to trust an unarmed ves- 
sel with a two hundred thousand dollar cargo too 
far from protection of our guns. Before we had 
gone ten “knots” we could see in the distance 
two steamers which seemed to be bearing down 
upon the Celtic at full speed; at least one of 
them seemed to be in the act of challenging the 
Celtic, and the other appeared to be trying to 
make her escape. 

This is what I said at the time, and evidently 
it was our Captain’s thoughts too ; for when we 
came in signalling distance, the Captain ordered 


14 


the Celtic to change her course so that we could 
steam directly between the two (the Celtic and 

the strange Steamer.) It was evident that our 
suspected enemy was curious to know what we 

were; for she now turned her bow toward us and 
came straight and bold as if she meant to chal- 
lenge us for a fight. We were now some three 
or four miles apart as yet and of course could 
not tell whether she carried a ‘‘battery” or not. 

At this point general quarters were sonnded 
on board our Ship, and every man ran to his 
station, and all the gunners quickly divested 
themselves of all clothing except shoes and 
pants; this is done so that they may not catch 
on fire from burning missiles which are very dan- 
gerous in battle or on board a Ship. 

I have stated before that one of the strange 
steamers appeared to be trying to make her es- 
cape ; this action upon her part made us suspect 
more vividly that it was a Spanish transport es- 
corted by one of Spain’s much talked of gun 
boats. The fact is, that we were judging others 
by ourselves. Scarcely had we taken our re- 
spective positions after the call to “general quar- 
ters” (which means go to your station to fight) 
before a big six inch gun on our port side I think, 
was fired across the bow of the seemingly im- 
pertinent stranger. For a few minutes hardly a 
breath was drawn on the Dixie, all our men stood 
as determined and immovable as the bright blue 
sky above, waiting to hear a similar reply to 


which we would have answered with a broad- 
side volley aimed directly at an unquestionable 
enemy. She was not an enemy, and instead of 
belching forth hot steel, smoke, and fire she 
“hoved to” and ran up the English flag, and dip- 
ped her colors three times in keeping with the 
rules of saluting a fighting ship at sea. 

I conjecture that our officers knew something 
about this steamer because they did not board 
her to investigate her clearance papers; one rea- 
son was, however, that It was a steamer belonging 
to a reliable English firm, and as I afterward 
noticed our Navy did not mistrust a steamer be- 
longing to a well known firm of Great Britain, 
except under strenuous circumstances. 

Having satisfied ourselves as to this ship, 
we now proceeded to run down the other one, 
which, circumstances made us imagine, was 
stealing away. The Dixie was not long in over- 
taking her, and she also turned out to be a friend 
instead of an enemy. We were now in the lati- 
tude of the Bahama Isles, and as night came on 
we could see lights far from us through the dis- 
tant darkness, and those of us who knew naught 
of navigation and less of our whereabouts on the 
sea, wondered if we would not chase thoselights 
down to find whether or not they were ships of 
the enemy. 

Captain Davis and Lieut. Doyle, our naviga- 
tor, would have laughed to have known our 
thoughts on this subject, for they knew those 


y 


16 

1 

little islands and those light-houses by name, 
even on the darkest njght. 

The next morning, oh, what a beautiful sight 
to one who had never seen before an island of 
the sea ! There lay before our eyes land ! and 
we had not seen land for several days and 
nights. 

We were now passing what is known to be Cat 
Island. 

All day long we were passing the Bahamas. 
Island after island would pop up in the distance 
before us, which indeed presented a marvelous 
spectacle to our boys who had not taken this 
voyage before. 

Peace undisturbed and sweet seemed to hover 
over those lofty hills of green forestry which 
stood so lonesomely out in the great deep ocean, 
and peace did exist there, for these were Great 
Britain’s possessions and her subjects on these lit- 
tle islands love their mother country on account 
of her fair and impartial rule which knows not 
the color of her subjects nor their previous con- 
dition when before her courts of justice they de- 
mand their rights. Night again overtook us and 
buried these grand scenes beneath the cover of 
darkness, notwithstanding the stars and moon 
lit up the ocean with a silvery ray most beauti- 
ful to behold. Heaven itself seemed to smile its 
blessings upon the Dixie and her crew. 

Day after day brought sunshine, night after 
night came with the stars and moon in ail their 


Officers of the Maryland Naval Reserves 




17 


brilliancy, and whilst our sailor boys could not 
behold the beautiful islands at night, yet they 
may have found consolation in these words: 

The sun has bade the day farewell, 

And to other climes has gone; with 
All her golden light to tell of 
Another morning’s dawn. 

She left behind the stars and moon 
To light our watery way; but she’ll 
Return with gladness soon, bringing us 
Another day. 

It did bring us another day, and a most exqui- 
site one, too; but there was no land in sight. We 
had left the Bahamas far behind us and now w T e 
were going, plunging through the sea billows as 
if there was nothing before us but water, even 
though we ever kept going straight ahead. But 
this was not so, for suddenly there appeared be- 
fore us a great high blue mountain rising above 
the sea like a mighty continent* It was the 
peaks of Mole St. Nicholas, Hayti. By this time 
every man aboard knew that we were bound for 
the harbor of Mole St. Nicholas, and it brought 
us much joy to know we were so near that place. 
A few hours passed after we first looked upon 
the mountains of Hayti, and then we were steam- 
ing slowly up into the little harbor of Mole St. 
Nicholas. To those unaccustomed to tropical 
climes there could be nothing grander than to 
behold with the natural eye the palms, banana 
trees and other beautiful 'plants which grow 
abundantly on these islands. As we approached 


18 


the little town, which was situated on the mouth 
of a valley that lay between two great mountain 
peaks of Mole St. Nicholas, we thundered out 
twenty-one guns, or in other words, twenty-one 
shots — the salute of our country — to the little 
Republic of Hayti. Hayti answered our salute 
with as many more shots from what seemed to 
be a shore battery on the edge of the town. 

Within the harbor the waves were calm, un- 
disturbed except by schools of flying fish, which 
seemed to make this particular place their play- 
house. We did not “let go anchor,” but drifted 
upon the calm waves, for we were not to spend 
much time at this place. We had stopped here 
for cabled orders, and as soon as a boat could be 
lowered and the crew got down into it, they were 
off for such orders as had 'arrived at Hayti for 
us. It had fallen the duty of Ensign G. C. Lodge 
to go for those orders. Although this was a 
pleasant duty, yet Mr. Lodge afterwards proved 
himself to be equally as willing and fearless in 
performing duties more daring and dangerous. I 
say it with pleasure that Mr. Lodge was a cool, 
collective and brave young officer, and well mer- 
ited the respect of the Dixie’s crew. I admired 
him. We were scarcely two hours at Mole Sb 
Nicholas, but long enough, however, to enable a 
couple of New York newspaper men to come 
aboard and have a short chat in their own lan- 
guage, for they said they were tired trying to 
speak French Several “bum boats” also came 




19 


along by the side of us heavy laden with tropical 
fruits, and it is hardly necessary to add that they 
went away minus their fruit, for our boys never 
hesitated in spending their money for good 
things. After the return of our party we said 
farewell to the journalists, and turned our course 
toward Santiago de Cuba. When we were well 
on the way, and some 20 or 30 miles at sea, we 
saw a steamer coming from the direction in which 
we were going. As usual we got ready to fight, 
but as we drew nearer and nearer we found our- 
selves to be fellow countrymen, and the little 
steamer was Admiral Sampson’s dispatch boat. 
We did not stop to say, “How is everything?” for 
that little yacht went by so swiftly that some of 
our boys made the remark that she was the Fly- 
ing Dutchman. 

About twilight we were passing in view of the 
hills of Cuba, and we could discern smoke rising 
up from some of the little inlets far ahead of us. 
This gave rise to a rumor that some little Spanish 
gunboats were trying to sneak into some Cuban 
port under the cover of darkness. This seemed 
to be probable and the Dixie, instead of going di- 
rect to Santiago, cruised about all night in hopes 
of running down a prize. But our hopes were not 
realized, and early next morning our ship 
steamed up to Admiral Sampson’s fleet which lay 
in the memorable harbor of Santiago. 

What a grand view it was to our boys to be- 
hold those mighty ships as they drifted about on 


20 


the ocean’s waves, for they were not anchored, 
expecting to be attacked almost any moment 
by the enemy. They were kept ever ready to 
put to sea on a moment’s notice. As we ap- 
proached the ships we fired thirteen guns — the 
customary salute for the fleet. Our course was 
directed to the flagship New York, and we 
steamed slowly up near her and stopped our en- 
gine. Captain Davis then went aboard the New 
York to report to Admiral Sampson for further 
orders. From this point on the Dixie was con- 
signed to do blockade duty on the southern coast 
of Cuba. We likewise bore the honor of being 
the flagship of what our boys like to call the 
“Southern blockade.” We spent but a few hours 
with the fleet at Santiago and then we sailed as 
fearlessly away from our magnificent fleet as 
though there was no danger to fear. 

We had already begun to taste the bitterness 
of war. Our fresh provisions were exhausted by 
the time we had reached Mole St. Nicholas and 
we had now commenced to live on sea stores. 
There was no ice machine on our ship and the 
ice we took with us hardly lasted ten days, and 
we were now drinking water as warm as the trop- 
ical sun made it. Yes, warmer, because we con- 
densed all of it by machinery, and whilst prob- 
ably the purest water man could drink, it was, 
however, always at blood heat when we drank it. 
But we were blest to have a plenty of pure water 
on our ship although it was warm water. There 


/ 


21 

were a few men on board, however, who did not 
care so much for water unless they were thirsty, 
and this made it necessary for the Master at 
Arms to institute what was called the “Dirty 
man’s gang,” Every morning you could hear the 
Master at Arms getting his dirty gang to muster, 
and whilst it was to be regretted that we had 
men on board who had to be made to keep them- 
selves clean, yet it was not so bad when we al- 
lowed that only 15 or 20 out of our 300 men con- 
stituted the dirty man’s gang. It was amusing to 
hear the command each morning at about 7 
o’clock, “On deck to muster, all you dirty men,” 
for each fellow whose name was on this roll 
knew that his command was as sacred as any 
other to the authorities of the ship, and he was 
accordingly as obedient as though he was going 
to perform an honorable task; and indeed did 
they become quite addicted to cleanliness for be- 
fore we were mustered out of the service our 
dirty gang was extinct — thanks to Mr. William 
Austin, our Master at Arms. But our boys had 
other troubles of their own We carried with us 
many bushels of new potatoes and onions, but the 
tropical regions soon reduced them all to a solid 
mass of rot, for they could not get sufficient air 
in the storerooms to keep them. 

Before I resume the account of our experience 
on the blockade from Cape Croix to Cienfuegos^ 
I will speak what I know with reference to the 
food, its preparation and other minor details con- 


22 


nected with the galley and the “mess” on board 
the Dixie. I feel as if I could give the Navy 
Department many points along this line if it was 
my duty to do so, not because I know so much in 
this direction, but because the feeding of pri- 
vates seems to be considered a small feature in 
the affairs of the Army and Navy (I have had 
the honor of serving in both); but it should not 
be considered a small thing to feed our sailors 
and soldiers for his food is as essential to him 
as his service is to his country. If it requires 
the strength of every nerve of manhood to make 
a brave sailor and soldier, likewise does it re- 
quire good food, properly prepared, to strengthen 
the nerves and physical features of men to serve 
in the capacity of sailors or soldiers. I do not won 
derat so much being said on this subject since the 
war, for heretofore it has been greatly neglected* 
I know our mess was much poorer on the Dixie 
than was need to be, more especially on account 
of the incoinpetency of those who prepared it 
than on account of the inferiority of the food; 
for in some cases it was inferior, and in almost 
all cases it was not prepared to eat by skillful 
hands. These conditions brought forth many 
complaints from our boys, and not a few wrote 
the circumstances home to friends and relations 
which caused sorrow and dismay among them. 

There was not a lack of provisions on board 
the Dixie. We had lots of it, such as it was — 
flour, pickled pork (salt horse), canned beef and 


23 


mutton, rice, beans, sugar, coffee, dried fruit, 
macaroni, and a variety of canned vegetables. 
But there was no experienced force to cook this 
food, for there was but two regular rated cooks 
for a crew of 300 men, and their duty was merely 
to attend the cooking of a dish of something 
after it had been prepared for the fire on the 
berth deck by what was called the berth deck 
cooks. These berth deck cooks were hopeless 
excuses as cooks — being men selected from the 
crew, or rather men who volunteered to save 
their comrades lives by messing up something 
for them to eat. What was greatly needed to 
add to the comfort of our boys was: first, a chief 
steward with one assistant. It is necessary to 
have a captain’s steward, a wardroom steward, 
and a warrant officer’s steward on board a ship, 
and I fail to see why it is not as essential to have 
a steward for the ship’s crew as well. .Second, 
there should be one cook to every thirty men in 
the crew of a ship, and these cooks should pre- 
pare the food as well as cook it. 

A steward in the Navy should rate as a chief 
petty officer, so that the best men could be se- 
cured for those “billets.” Ship’s cooks No. 1, 2, 
and 3 should be rated as petty officers for the 
same reason, and should be selected with some 
regard as to their competency. However, I do 
not wish to say much more upon this subject for 
it is not my purpose to criticise any source in 
this little volume. I merely wish to refresh the 


24 


minds of my comrades who perchance may read 
this book, and carry them back over the scenes 
of war which they participated in and one they 
will never forget. Before I leave the subject I 
may add that one of the most abominable things 
to a soldier is a “hard tack.” Hard tack need 
never be issued to a sailor whilst aboard his ship 
or to a soldier whilst in camp, yet it is done. 
Why not have regular bakers to make bread ? 
Hard tack was very justly called by our boys “a 
relic of barbarism.” 

We had plenty of flour on board, but as there 
was no one of experience found to make bread 
there was not much bread made. There were 
many attempts at making bread, but this bread 
was usually styled “armor-piercing shells” by the 
jolly fellows who had to eat it. I said before 
that there were many complaints made by our 
boys as to their daily experience at sea with 
Uncle Sam and his ill treatment to them. Whilst 
some of our complaints were very well founded 
upon circumstances which might have been dif- 
ferent, yet too often did some of the boys grum- 
ble for naught, or because they could not get 
mama’s pie and milk. This was only in a few 
cases, however. One young man wrote some- 
thing like this to his mother: “Dear mother, we 
are having a hard time here; the officers treat us 
like dogs and we don’t get anything to eat but 
meat, hard tack, sometimes bread, vegetables, 
and coffee.” Of course, but two other things 




were needed to make this young fellow happy — 
milk and pie or cake, and probably his mother 
thought it very mean because he did not get 
them. 

Another amusing complaint was made to the 
executive officer, Mr. Merriam. A hearty young 
fellow walked up to the First Lieutenant and 
saluted him like a gallant hero and said; “Mr. 
Merriam, you will certainly have to do something 
about our coffee. Why, it is so hot when we get 
it that we can’t drink it.” Mr. Merriam held up 
his hands disgustingly and shook his head. He 
replied in the same good faith as had marked 
the young man’s address to him: “My boy, I ex- 
pect the cook puts that coffee on the fire. Tell 
him lie must not make coffee on the fire, for it 
will surely make it hot.” Be it said to the credit 
of that young man, he “took a tumble.” It is 
very generally thought that commanders of ships 
in the Navy always have an abundant supply of 
luxuries, which they purchase out of their pri- 
vate purses, of course. But this was not the case 
with Capt Charles H. Davis, and as I have taken 
the liberty to speak of this most excellent gen- 
tleman and soldier, I wish to say to my readers 
that no man on board our ship had the same op- 
portunity as I did to note his customs and con- 
duct, as well as the perplexing questions arising 
from the conditions of war, accompanied with 
the problem of making a successful cruise with 
a force of raw recruited seamen. 


26 


I must emphasize that the world will never 
know how great a man Captain Davis is, or how 
great he would have proven himself to be had 
the same opportunities presented themselves to 
him as they did to others in this war. Many 
little instances may appear hereafter which will 
verify this fact, which I shall mention as natural 
coincidences and not as a plaudit to anyone. 

Had all our boys but known as I did that Capt. 
Davis sacrificed many comforts which he could 
have easily obtained and did not do so (because 
conditions of war made it impossible for his men 
to enjoy the same privilege), they would never 
cease to admire him. For instance, when I 
wanted to put in a stock of choice sea stores be- 
fore we left home, the Captain said: ‘‘No, Wil- 
liam, it is not necessary. The paymaster carries 
plenty of all such things and we can buy them 
of him the same as the ship’s company.” Con- 
sequently the stores that we laid in did not last 
ten days, and then we did draw on the Paymas 
ter’s stores the same as the ship’s company. The 
difference was — and it may be called a big differ- 
ence too — that skilled hands prepared the food 
for the Captain’s table whilst there was no such 
provision made for the ship company’s mess. 
Of course, the reader knows that this was not the 
Captain’s fault. 

The Captain grew tired of his pork and beans, 
cod fish cakes made of rice as a substitute for 
potatoes, and his salt mackeral as well as the 


27 


rest of us. I don’t know what the Captain wrote 
home to Mrs. Davis, but I know one day, just a 
week or so before we sailed for home I had a salt 
mackerel put before him for lunch. He looked 
at it and then looked at the cabin boy who was 
waiting on him, and smiled one of his signilicant 
expressions and said: ‘-John, open that porthole.” 
John promptly obeyed. The Captain in a most 
cool and dignified manner arose and pitched that 
mackerel into the sea saying: “You miserable 
creature, I hope you will be fresh when we meet 
again.” Not many days from this date we were 
in our country’s port and I had put before the 
Captain a nice broiled mackerel, but this time it 
was not a salt one. Evidently the Captain had 
grown by custom to identify salt with a mack- 
erel on sight, for he said with the same self-com- 
posure as before, “John, open that porthole”; but 
John had the biggest joke of the whole trip on 
his Caxjtain and did not fail to appreciate it. 
With the look of one who knows when he has 
the big end of the stick, said: “Captain, that is 
the fresh mackerel you threw into Guantanamo 
Bay.” John did not have to open the porthole 
any more. 

There was a place on board our ship where the 
rarest luxuries did exist; that was the wardroom. 
Our line officers freely spent their money for 
their cable support. This was their own private 
affair, of course, and the point which I raise will 
be, I think, indorsed by every officer of the ward- 





i I , dB— BBin 


28 


room. The point is that there could not have 
been a worse wardroom service in the world than 
that of our cruise on the Dixie, and the reason 
for it was that experienced men had not been 
selected to perform the specific duties of that es- 
tablishment. The wardroom steward, whom I 
think was a good fellow and understood his bus- 
iness, tried hard to keep up his department, if he 
tried to do so and failed. What was the cause of 
his failure? As I have stated before that stew- 
ards have no official standing in the Navy of the 
United States, therefore they can not enforce 
system and maintain discipline in their respec- 
tive departments, hence the cause of poor service 
in them. 

After offering to the public my apology for 
going info these minor details we will return to 
our little blockading squadron, which consisted 
of the Helena, Yanktum and Eagle; the Yankee 
also spent some time with us on the Southern 
coast of Cuba. 

Now we find ourselves off Cape Croix with the 
Dixie as the flagship of our little fleet of auxiliary 
cruisers. As we steamed up to almost, yes, quite 
within hailing distance of the light house at this 
place, we could see many Spaniards taking to 
their heels in flight from the light house, for 
they had probably heard of the destruction of 
the light house at Cienfuegoes by one of our 
ships, which happened some time prior to our 
arrival. But our Captain did not deem it expe- 


29 


dient to destroy a defenseless light-house, winch 
in the time of peace is a seaman’s best friend, 
and not his enemy in time of war. So after satis- 
fying himself that there was no shore battery 
around Cape Croix, we spent the remaining part 
of the day cruising around in the same vicinity 
and sounding for the depth of the waters, for it 
was very essential to know the channels around 
the coast where there were many reefs. 

Whilst sounding about that afternoon we spied 
a little craft far out among the capes, no doubt 
making for Manzaniila with some good things 
for General Pando. Fortunately f<r the general 
and that little vessel we could not run her down 
on account of the shoals. It had slipped by early 
in the morning and by this time had gone be- 
yond our reach, and but for the lack of wind 
would already have been within harbor, is very 
probable. Our boys looked across the sea at her 
wistfully for we wanted a prize very much. 

The next day we directed our course toward 
Casilba. This voyage kept the Island of Cuba in 
view from our s larboard side all the while, and 
it was a beautiful picture for we could see the 
many little islands, reefs, inlets and the high 
peaks of Santa Clara province as well, which 
marks this part of Cuba with especial interest. 
It was a most excellent day ami whilst we were 
yet many miles from Casilba we could see the 
large trees which shaded that little harbor from 
view. Under full steam we steamed ahead hop- 


30 


ing to catch some Spanish prey trying to sneak 
in or out of Casilba. 

It was nearly in the afternoon when we passed 
by the long peninsula reef which hid the little 
town from view, and with the use of sea glasses 
one could see a few sailing craft, a Spanish cruiser 
under repair, and two small gunboats, which ap- 
peared to be the only visible defence the harbor 
had. 

As we passed along near the shore about two 
miles north of Casilba we could see the city of 
Trinidad, which must have been about 15 miles 
off, blazing beneath the warm sun like a beauti- 
ful city of marble palaces. It looked so white 
and clean in the distamce, high upon the moun- 
tain side that for a moment our minds reverted 
to the beautiful passage of Scripture: “Peace on 
earth and good will unto men.” Yes, war was 
forgotten and all nature seemed to dispel the 
horrible idea of spilling the blood of man. For 
a few brief minutes we gazed upon that sublime 
picture — a white city sitting upon a hill that is 
not hidden from the world. 

But the white winged angel of peace did not 
hover around us long, for just about 3 miles from 
our ship along the coast, which underlies Trini- 
dad, were earthworks and some dangerous can- 
non were planted there as the cause of those sus- 
picious looking mounds about the shore, and be- 
fore we could pass them the Spaniards began to 
plunk at us with those guns as if to warn us that 


31 


there was no peace even for the weary around 
these regions. 

There were several shots fired from these bat- 
teries, but as they fell far short of their mark 
and were perfectly harmless our Captain was at 
first inclined to treat them with contempt; at 
least, we thought so, for he continued to steam 
on, but evidently it was not in his mind to al- 
low the Spaniard to escape so lightly, for he had 
not gone two miles when he said: “Doyle, (speak- 
ing to the navigating officer) I think we had bet- 
ter go back and try to displace some of these 
guns; whilst they can’t do us any harm they 
may be an impediment to our Army in the fu- 
ture should they wish to land along there.” 

Upon this suggestion the Dixie was headed 
around and we steamed back to these little bat- 
teries, and being careful not to get too near the 
shore, for fear of mines, our ship was brought 
to. Meanwhile the enemy had begun firing upon 
us again, but their activity gave us no apprehen- 
sion whatever, and instead of blazing away at 
them, hit or miss, our gunners were ordered to 
take deliberate aim at the spot where smoke 
should arise from the enemy’s gun on being 
fired. 

Our aim was both deliberate and true, and the 
enemy’s battery could not withstand the terrible 
volleys of our “six inchers,” and in less time 
than it takes to tell the story we had silenced 
every gun on those works. Having accomplished 


32 


this end we again started around the coast to- 
ward ^Cienfuegos looking out for blockade run- 
ners. About 10 miles up the coast from Casilba 
is a small stream, which flows down the valley 
southward, known I think as the San Juan River* 
Sitting upon a hill at the mouth of this stream 
was a block house. It did not have that appear- 
ence, however; it looked like a country farm- 
house with a few outer buildings made of brush 
with thatched reefs and mud dobbings, And by 
the way, we had an old Cuban pilot on board 
with us who knew every mile of that country 
around the coast, and he told us that there was a 
small cannon mounted at the place of which we 
now speak, which was used to keep small vessels 
from caking military expeditions up the valley 
to where there was a big insurgent camp. 

Captain Davis seized this splendid opportunity 
for giving his men some target practice, and after 
some preliminaries we got down to business and 
soon began to bombard that block house and the 
little chicken-coop looking building as well- 
Some 40 or 50 Spaniards tumbled out of the block 
house, and even with the naked eye one could 
see them taking to the jungles in fright from one 
shell. In a few minutes the block house began 
to belch forth smoke and flames, and we realized 
that we had finished its mission on earth. 

We did not stop to waste words on what we 
had done for we were making a sweeping cruise 
along the southern coast paying brief respects to 


33 


any Spanish fortifications which came within our 
view. 

After this little bombardment we proceeded 
again toward Cienfuegos, but we had hardly gone 
five miles before we discovered a big Spanish 
flag flying over a beautiful, but little fortification 
which was strongly constructed of heavy stones 
and somewhat arehitectually put together. In 
this little Morro, which rested upon a little peak 
that overlooks a small bay. Two guns of an 
ordinary calibre were mounted for the purpose 
before stated — that is, to check the landing of 
filibusters. We soon discovered this point to be 
the object of a general interest among the officers 
on deck from the fact that they were viewing 
the little fort with their sea glasses. Within a 
few minutes our ship was so near the fort that 
its destruction seemed to be a matter of a few 
shots from our six-inch guns. 

Up to this time we had not exchanged shots. 
Possibly our enemies had not as yet recognized 
our nationality, for as soon as the Captain gave 
orders to lower the small and hoist the large 
flag, which seemed to catch the breeze immedi- 
ately, two shots were fired from the little fort. 
By this time general quarters were sounded and 
we were all at our posts, and upon the command 
of “fire,” so quick and terri fic was our reply that 
the little fort was not able to fire but one more 
shot. 

Not satisfied with the dismounting of those 


34 


two guns — for they could have been remounted 
had we not reduced the little fort to mere frag- 
ments. To our boys twenty minutes could not 
have been enjoyed anywhere better than we en- 
joyed them at this place. 

The sun was reclining in the western sky and 
and there was not a cloud to be seen. Our gun- 
ners seemed to have profited by this recent prac- 
tice, for there was never an aim more precise and 
true than that aimed at this little white stone 
fortress. As the six-inch shells from our guns 
pierced the walls of the fortification they seemed 
to part wide open and melt down as if a mighty 
volcano had sprung up beneath it. 

In the rear of where the fort had stood we 
could now see a frame building, and the big 
Spanish flag seemed as if it floated from the top 
of this building. Our efforts were accordingly 
turned toward the demolishing of this house so 
that the flag might bite the dust. We very soon 
had the top of this building tumbling to and fro> 
but the flag would not fall. 

Some of the boys jokingly remarked that they 
would like to go over and see what was it that 
propped up the flag staff. But it was soon dis- 
covered that the flag was not floating from the 
frame house, for the frame house was no more, 
but the flag continued to wave its defiance. Cap- 
tain Davis ordered the firing to cease, and added 
that the flag was flying from a pole, which was 
secured in the ground, and that it would be a 


35 


waste of ammunition to try to strike so small a 
thing at so great a distance. 

The shades of evening were now fast appearing 
and the Captain had the ship return to a point 
off San Juan River where we encountered the 
first blockhouse. At this place we drifted about 
all night, and indeed not this night alone, but 
many weary nights did we spend off the coast 
near this point. The following day of which we 
now speak brought a change of incidents. 

We took a spurt up to Cienfuegos, starting 
about half past eight. There was nothing un- 
usual going on around Cienfuegos, but as we 
turned eastward and was plunging through the 
high seas we saw big puffs of black smoke rising 
from the distant waters. This is what we liked 
to see. As some of the boys put it, we wanted to 
find him bad. 

The smoke which we were making for seemed 
to be making for us also, and nearer and nearer 
we drew to each other General quarters sound- 
ed and we ran to our several posts of duty, but 
not to fight, for hardly had we sent up a round of 
shells and powder when retreat sounded, and by 
the time we reached the gun deck our sister ship, 
the Yankee, gallant Captain Rrownson command- 
ing, which we had been making for was coming 
along by the side of us. 

It was always agreeable to have company in 
these lonesome waters, so the Yankee was hailed 
with as much delight as would have been a 


36 


Spanish cruiser — the difference is that we would 
have had more fun with the latter. 

The Yankee remained with us several days in 

this vicinity, and in the mean time the Helena, 

* 

the Yanktum, and the Eagle reported to Cap- 
tain Davis and received their orders about main- 
taining the blockade. The next day after the 
arrival of the Yankee we steamed about 13 
miles west of Cienfuegos to communicate with 
some insurgents who were encamped in the jun- 
gles near the beach. This was indeed a most 
interesting day with us. As we drew near the 
insurgent’s camp we blew our whistle, that be- 
ing a signal to them of our approach. 

This was quite a favorable position for us as 
we could get close enough to the shore to see the 
Cuban soldiers lined up in companies. We low- 
ered a small boat which was sent ashore in 
charge of Lieut. Merriam for the purpose of as- 
certaining something of the needs of the insur- 
gents. When that boat’s crew returned it 
brought the most startling news of distress and 
suffering that has ever been heard of anywhere 
except in Cuba. 

I will teil the story as it was related to me by 
some of the boys who saw it. Of course, the cen- 
ter of attraction to us was the Cuban soldiers. 
One look at them was enough to convey every 
conceivable horror of war to the observer. Their 
faces were pinched with hunger, their clothes 
were tattered and torn, some were sick without 








Lieut. Wm. M. Goodrich, 











37 


the slightest kind of medicine, whilst others 
were wounded without even linens with which 
to wrap their sores. 

There were many youths not more than twelve 
years old standing side by side with the older sol- 
diers, armed with machetas and rifles. Our Gap- 
tain made this a day of rejoicing for the Cubans 
for he ordered the lowering of two more boats 
and loaded them to their utmost capacity with 
barrels of meat and flour and boxes of other pro- 
visions. 

These three boats were sent to the insurgents 
together with 36 Remington rifles and 2,000 
rounds of cartridges. The boys also gathered 
together all the old clothes which could be given 
away and sent them to the Cuban soldiers. I 
must also add that Dr. Heiskell, our very effi- 
cient surgeon, sent a good supply of medicines 
along with the other valuables. 

When those boats returned they brought with 
them a Cuban captain and two privates who 
wished to communicate with the colonel of their 
regiment, who was located somewhere between 
Trinidad and Cienfuegos. The reception given 
to those three men by our boys will never be for- 
gotten by tli e Cuban captain and his two compa- 
triots. Our Captain had the first interview with 
them which lasted some 10 or 15 minutes, and by 
this time supper was ready and our guests fell an 
easy prey into the hands of the ship’s caterers, 


38 


for they had not lately been accustomed to their 
three square meals a day. 

The Cuban captain dined with the wardroom 
officers and the privates with the ship’s company 
according to rank. Our plain fare was a sumptu- 
ous feast for the Cubans, and it did us good to see 
them enjoy themselves so heartily. 

After supper we dressed the two privates up in 
new sailor uniforms, which pleased them highly. 
“Now,” said one of them, “the Spaniards will call 
us Yankees,” After lighting a couple of cigar- 
ettes from a supply which our boys had given 
them, the Cubans made a general inspection of 
the Dixie and her big guns. 

Bright and early the next morning we put them 
on board of the Yanktum, which was a little gun- 
boat capable of getting much nearer the shore 
than we could, with orders that they should be 
put off wherever they desired. They requested 
to be put off somewhere between San Juan River 
and Casilba, and the commander of the Yanktum 
endeavored to land them at the place designated, 
and in doing so was compelled to proceed several 
miles down the coast, the Dixie remaining be- 
laud. 

Less than an hour we heard a terrific cannon- 
ading down the coast in the direction of Casilba 
and we felt sure that the Yanktum had engaged 
the enemy’s ships— possibly those two little gun 
boats which I have described as being in Casilba 
Harbor. In less than five minutes the Dixie was 


* 


— gq iMiuini 


39 

under way at full speed and making her way to 
tlie relief of the Yanktum, as we thought, for the 
thundering of big guns continued to echo along 
the coast. 

As we drew near enough to see the Yanktum 
sure enough there were two ships instead of one* 
and each banging away, but not at each other. 
It turned out to be that the Yanktum had met 
up with the Eagle at the point where the effort 
to land the scouts had been made, and as tlie 
Yanktum had been fired upon from the shore by 
a company of Spanish cavalry our two little boats 
were returning the compliments of the Spaniards 
by throwing some American explosives in their 
midst, and this accounted for the cannonading 
that had brought us upon the scene. 

The commander of the Yanktum reported to 
our Captain that the Spaniards were entirely too 
active along the shore to warrant the landing of 
the Cuban party, although they had dispersed the 
company of soldiers aud killed several. The 
only fitting alternative was to take the scouts 
back to their camp, which we did. Whilst the 
Yanktum went to carry the C ubans back the 
Dixie and the Eagle went down the coast to Ca- 
silba where we engaged the two gunboats, which 
I have already described as being at that place, 
in battle, which was exciting though of short 
duration. 

The Dixie sounded her way up to the reef as 
near as possible, and the gunners were ordered 




40 

to take deliberate aim at the most formidable 
looking one of the two Spanish gunboats. Both 
of these boats answered our shots promptly, and 
the big one started out from the harbor under 
full speed apparently, and we looked for a brisk 
encounter to follow. 

We had been firing up to this time deliberate- 
ly and using only the ammunition which we car- 
ried at our guns for sudden emergencies, but on 
seeing our enemy coming out to meet us our cap- 
tain commanded general quarters to be sounded, 
adding: “If that boat comes out, I will sink her 
or she must sink me.” 

By this time the little companion of the larger 
boat had also gotten up steam, but alas! she had 
also got a shell in her side either from our boys 
or the Eagle’s, and she could be seen steaming 
slowly towards the beach. “Uncle Sam” had 
temporarily put it out of commission. 

The Dixie was now directing her entire port 
side battery against the other Spanish boat, % and 
so accurate and precise was the aim of our boys 
that we completely disabled our adversary be- 
fore she could get half way out of the harbor. 

The ideal thing for us to have done, and that 
which we wished to do at the time, was to have 
gone into the port and seized it. but the channel 
of Casilba was not over 20 feet deep and ihe Dixia 
drew 30 feet of water, thus rendering it impossi- 
ble for us to carry out such a programme; and al- 
though we had the port completely at our mercy, 




41 


but for the shallowness of the water we were 
compelled to abandon it. With the consolation 
of knowing that we had crippled these two Span- 
ish boats, which made it safer for our transports 
that might thereafter pass in these waters dur- 
ing the war, the Dixie left Casilba never to re- 
turn again with the same crew, or under the same 
circumstances. 

We had now spent several energetic weeks on 
tlie blockade and July 1 found us cruising off 
Manzanilla trying to find a channel navigable for 
our ship to enter that harbor. On account of the 
many reefs and shoals one must encounter with 
before reaching the main entrance to Manzanilla, 
we were sounding three days for sufficient depth 
to float “big Dixie” through. Two of our smaller 
boats had previously gone up into Manzanilla and 
fought with nine Spanish gunboats, and after- 
wards reported to the Dixie that they had gotten 
into a hornet’s nest — meaning that they found 
more opposition than they expected to be in Man- 
zanilla. 

Indeed they looked to have been in a “hornet’s 
nest,” for they were scared from the effects of 
their battle, and one of them was disabled to the 
extent that it had to come home for repairs. 

Captain Davis was not at all pleased with the 
idea of a part of his squadron being repulsed, 
hence his ambition to get into Manzanilla for re- 
venge Hut we could not get there after trying 
persistently for three days, but it is sufficient to 


42 


say tliat our two little gunboats completely 
wrecked four of tlie Spanish boats which had at- 
tacked them. 

Early one morning as we were cruising in the 
vicinity of Manzanilla we spied two sail boats 
trying to run the blockade. They had a fair wind 
but we discovered them before they had time to 
make their escape. They were bent on making 
their escape, however, and did not heed the shells 
which we put across their bows, and not until we 
fired two shots directly at them, which splashed 
the water upon their decks, did they heave to. 


We sent a boarding party to each of them and 
found them to be heavily ladened with provisions 
for the Spaniards. Lots of good thing for Gen- 
eral Pando, but those good things that lie look- 
ed for, never came; the Dixie boys captured them 


and sent them to the United States as just prizes, 
but for some reason which will probably never be 
known, even to the authorities themselves, these 
blockade runners were afterwards released by our 
Government, and likewise was theGreenan C as- 
tle, the Maneubia, and others which we took, 
Lieut. Blunt was put in charge of these two ves- 
sels with four marines and six sailors from our 
ship, they set sail for the United States. Early 
the next morning, July 4th., we captured the 
Greenan Castle, a little steamer, which was heav- 
ily ladened with provisions, among which were 5 
dozen chickens, some yams and planting. These 
delicacies were of course intended lor seme of 


43 


tlie Spanish captains, but as Captain Davis and 
his officers had long since run out of these dain- 
ties, they broke the news to the Spaniards 
through the ‘'Press,” that they should not look 
for those chickens and vegetables for they were 
not coming home. 

We took all the perishable goods from the lit- 
tle steamer, and divided them among the ship’s 
crew, and put Lieutenant Smith aboard her, and 
sent her home as another worthy prize. Instinct 
as a lighter seemed to have been drawing Cap- 
tain Davis around to Santiago on the memorable 
day, July 4th , for we had started around there? 
when we caught tire Greenan Castle. Ko doubt 
we would have intercepted the escaping Spanish 
ship Christobol Colon, had not the Captain of 
the Castle informed us of a big three-masted 
schooner being on its way from Kingston with a 
hundred thousand dollar cargo on board. 

We put to sea hoping to find tills prize, but we 
did not sight her and returned to the light-house 
of Cape Croix to watch out for her during the 
night, but it did not put in its appearance. We 
proceeded to Santiago for we were in much need 
of coal, which we could not get without first go- 
ing to Admiral Sampson for orders. On our way 
to Santiago we met the U. S. S. Osceola. She 
steamed up to us and her commander hailed us 
with these words: “ Have you heaid the news ? ” 
Captain Davis answered, “ What news ? ” 1 he 

fleet is sunk.” When the Commander spoke those 


44 


words and paused, every man’s heart on board 
our ship began to choke him, for we thought 
only of our fleet at Santiago. “ What fleet?” 
asked our Captain. “ Cevtra’s fleet is entirely de- 
destroyed. ” “ And what about the fatalities on 

our side?” “Oh! one man billed and several 
wounded slightly.” “Did we not lose any ships?” 
“Iso!” Cheers! Cheers!! Cheers!!! went up 
from our crew, and we coaid not go fast enough 
to Santiago. 

On our arrival before the harbor, we could see 
the sunken Spanish ships lying on the beach, that 
is as much of them of them as could be seen pro- 
truding above the water. We were sent to Guan- 
tanimo Bay for coal, wlier® we learned that the 
Dixie was designated te go to Spain with Com- 
madore Watson’s fleet to threaten the commeice 
of that country along its own coast. 

This was a good bluff, and it worked charm- 
ingly, before we could get our coal on board 
Spain was seeking terms of surrender. After 
we had filled our bunkers with coal and piled 
sacks full of it until it looked as if we were 
going to supply the fleet with coal we were or- 
dered to Porto Rico. The Massachusetts, Tale, 
Columbia, and Dixie left Guantanimo for Porto 
Rico together; escorting seven transports of sol- 
diers under the command of General Miles; thus 
we shifted the scenes of war from Cuba to the Isle 
of Porto Rico ; we were several days and nights 
passing the northern coast of San Domingo, dur- 


45 


ing which time it was our pleasure to run down 
several sailing vessels, which we suspected as be- 
ing blockade runners. 

We found them all to be friendly merchant- 
men, however, from some parts of America. We 
were fortunate in meeting up with a little Nova 
Scotian sailing craft, which was on its way to 
Porto Rico for a cargo of sugar, for she had on 
board a sufficient supply of provisions to cover 
the several weeks, which would be required to 
make this trip, and being informed that she 
must not go to Porto Rico, her alternative was to 
return home, which gave us the opportunity to 
buy her surplus vegetables; several barrels of po- 
tatoes, onions, bananas and so forth, for we were 
greatly in need of vegetables. 

There was a lady sailor on this little craft. She 
was the captain’s wife, and our salute, which 
was fired across their bow had frightened he* 
more than a West India cyclone would have done 
and when we were taking charge of our fresh 
supply of vegetables, the lady asked me, “What 
would you all have done, had we not stopped^ 
when you fired the shot across our bow?” I an- 
swered, “We would have sunk your vessel, picked 
up her crew, and at the proper time, conveyed 
you to your happy home. ” 

W e were not many hours reaching the San Juan 
coast after leaving our little Nova Scotian, where 
we found the New Orleans (Capt. Folger) guard- 
ing that port against intrusion of blockade run- 


4 G 


ners, and we spent the night with the New Or- 
leans, for she evidently looked lonesome in these 
strange waters. Next morning we proceeded on 
our way to Guanica, and had not gone many miles 
down the coast, when we captured the Maneubia, 
put a prize crew onboard of her, and sent her 
to the United States. The same afternoon we 
arrived at Guanica, where we found our consorts 
unloading their soldiers and cargo. 

We learned with great joy, that our Army had 
met with little or no resistance to their landing, 
and the outposts had already been established 

without the loss of a man. The Spanish soldiers 
seemed to have been waiting for the cover of 

darkness to give them a favorable opportunity to 
let loose their ghosts ; for no sooner did the stars 
appear before they began firing upon our posts? 
and the firing was kept up all night by both sides? 
but little or no damage was done on either side. 
The following day to our arrival at Guanica, Cap- 
tain iligginson, who was senior Naval officer, at 
this port and commanding the U. S. S. Massachu- 
setts, held a conference with Captain Davis, dur- 
ing which time it was decided that the Dixie 
should take two of our little gun boats and seize 
the harbor of Ponce, which lay about 15 miles to 
east from Guanica. We did not lose any time 
getting to Ponce. As soon as our Captain came 
on board from his visit to the Massachusetts he 
ordered “up-anchor” and we pulled out for 
Ponce. We expected to meet with considerable 


47 


opposition at Ponce, at least we expected to en- 
counter some shore battery and musketry, con- 
sequently we mounted one of our rapid firing 
guns upon the superstructure and barricaded the 
gunner’s position with bales of cotton waste. 
This little gun was capable of doing much injury 
to a body of troops on shore at fifteen hundred 
yards, having the capaci ty of firing four hundred 


shots a minute, and scattering her bullets like 
liail would fall among a pressing crowd. We 
also put sacks of sand around each of our big 
guns for specific purposes, and with the Wasp 
and the Annapolis, tlie two little boats which I 
have already mentioned, we steamed into the 
port of Ponce in the afternoon of July 27th. 
Captain Davis proceeded to demand the surren- 
der of the city by equipping eighteen marines, 
and as many sailors with arms and ammunition 
and sending them ashore under tho command of 
Lieutenant (now Captain) Haines of the U. S. 
Marine Corps, Mr. Merriam and Lieut. H. C. 
Lodge, U. S. N. No one but God knew what ca- 
lamities awaited the little hand full of men who 
climbed down into the boat which was to convey 
them to Spanish soil to demand its surrender to 
the stars and stripes. Unflinchingly, without 
hesitation or despair, they hastily made ready to 
go over to the shore to take possession of Ponce. 

From where we had anchored we could see 
already thousands of people, who were curiously 
assembling on the wharf. 


48 


As our little boat load of heroes pushed off 
from the Dixie the chorus was taken up by all 
of those who remained on board, “ Good-bye^ 
boys,” but steadily the oarsmen pulled away 
and sterner looked those brave fellows who were 
leaving us possibly not to return. We watched 
them as they neared the shore, and although 
they were under a flag of truce, we had not for- 
gotten what the Spaniards had done under simi- 
lar circumstances in disregard of the truce flag. 
We could see them as they disembarked, and as 
they marched up the wharf, where they were lost 
to our view in the distance. Not more than a 
half hour had elapsed before we saw our flag run 
up over a building, and heard loud burst of cheers 
from the enormous crowd, which had collected 
near the wharf. This building turned out to be 
the custom house, of which we had taken posses- 
sion. Messrs. Haines and Lodge went direct to 
the city hall and demanded the surrender of the 
city in the name of the Navy of the United 
States. 

The “ Captain-General,” “Lord Mayor,” or 
whatever his imperial highness was called, did 
not readily agree to give up and concede to our 
demand. There were several thousand Spanish 
troops within a few miles of Ponce, and he 
wanted time to communicate with the Governor 
and troops. 

There was great excitement in Ponce that 
night — that memorable night, to its natives (July 


49 


27tli). There was a special meeting of the city 
council, and I learned that they passed resolu- 
tions to turn the town over to the Americans, but 
the Royal Mayor would not sign their decree. In 
the meantime the native Porto Ricans had come 
together and decided to send a committee to our 
ship to confer with the officers, and pray that 
they would not fire upon the town. The com 
mittee came on board the Dixie about six o’clock 
in the evening. It was a real high-toned corn 
mittee, consisting of the British Consul and two 
other distinguished men of the Island. As then- 
little boat pulled up near the Dixie our sentinel 
challenged the party with the phrase, “boat 
ahoy.” The committee’s coxswain did not know 
how to answer this challenge, so one of the party 
cried out, “ Don’t shoot,” in English. We did 
not shoot them, nor did we intend to shoot any- 
body whilst things were going on so smoothly. 

Captain Davis and Mr. Merriam, who had by 
this time returned from ashore received the gen- 
tlemen in the cabin. 

The British Consul was the chief spokesman, 
and his first remark was, “We come to ask you 
not to fire on the town; our families are at your 
mercy.” 

To this Capt. Davis replied, “It is not our wish- 
es to hurt any one and hope we will not have 
to, but the authorities of this city must surren- 
der to the authority of the United States. I de- 


50 


mand it, and will give you until 6 o’clock to-mor- 
row morning to do it.” 

Then the Consul answered, “Well, the town is 
practically yours now, and we will try to prevail 
upon the city council to give up gracefully.” “If 
they don’t,” said Captain Davis, ‘They will have 
to suffer the consequences.” The envoys left our 
ship promising to work on the matter of giving 
the city over to us by the time which had been 
set, and they must have performed their duties 
well in this particular, for they returned to the 
Dixie about 12 o’clock that night answering the 
sentinel’s challege in the same unseaman like 
style which characterized their* first visit, “Don’t 
shoot,” which probably helped the sentinel to 
identiiv them. 

That invincible committee of three had re- 
turned to inform Captain Davis that the Spanish 
authority had agreed to the lowering of their 
flag the next morning without giving us occasion 
for disturbing the people’s peace. Mr. Merriam 
and Lieut. Lodge with a company of seamen 
went ashore at 6 o’clock the next morning and 
promptly marched to the city hall where they 
hauled down the Spanish ensign and hoisted Old 
Glory in its stead. When they returned, some- 
where between 8 and 9 o’clock, the Massachusetts 
with General Miles, and two transports well load- 
ed with troops steamed into the port. 

The work of unloading the troops began at 
once, which was made decidedly easy by the use 


51 


of many sugar lighters which we had captured on 
our arrival. These were used as ferries to con- 
vey the troops from the large troop ships which 

4 

could not get up to the wharf to land. There was 
a cable at Ponce, but I think it was necessary to 
send someone to St. Thomas (Danish West In- 
dies) to arrange for the use of it. Colonel James 
Allen, who had proven himself to be a brave, en- 
ergetic and efficient signal corps officer, was se- 
lected to go to St. Thomas to attend to this busi- 
ness and the Dixie was designated to convey 
Col. Allen there. 

Without any further ceremony we left Ponce 
as suddenly that afternoon as we had arrived 
there the evening previous, and proceeded di- 
rectly to St. Thomas, a beautiful little port, 
where we arrived the next morning at 10 o'clock 
elated with the idea of having the opportunity 
at last to get some fresh provisions which we had 
not had in weeks. After firing the usual salute 
in honor of the country of Denmark, which is also 
a sufficient signal for the merchants of the town 
to know that a man-of-war has arrived, the bum 
boats and salesmen began to swarm around our 
ship, all anxious to make a sale of their wares. 

Some of these little boats was a complete store 
within themselves, at least their occupants knew 
how to cater to the sailor boys’ wants judging 
from the supplies of confectioneries, cigars, to- 
bacco, bay rum, etc., although the latter is not 
allowed on board a United States warship, be- 
cause sailors drink it and become intoxicated. 


1 



The Dixie laying claim to the City of Ponce August 28, 1898. 




53 


It goes without saying that those bum boats 
did a thrifty business, for luxuries had become 
rarities in the extreme with us, and we bought 
that which we wanted, and that we did not want- 
the only thing which stopped us was that we 
bought in the whole stock, and had to quit after 
there was nothing else to buy. There was no 
war going on at St. Thomas, but war rates for 
provisions held the fort just the same. We paid 
60 cts per dozen for eggs, $2 per bushel for pota- 
toes, and §20 per ton for ice. We did not “kick” 
a bit on the prices, though. Everything was 
high but rum; rum was cheap enough but it had 
no business on board the Dixie. Bay rum found 
its way on board our ship, however, for it was 
smuggled through the port holes to a large de- 
gree, and some of the boys smelt like a barber 
shop on their inside for several days. 

There was no general shore liberty granted our 
boys at St. Thomas as we only expected to spend 
a few hours in port, and perhaps it was better so, 
for four or five weeks at sea had made us quite 
thirsty, and no doubt if we had gone ashore for 
recreation we would have hurt ourselves drink- 
ing at the sailor’s well. 

Those of us who had business ashore at St. 
Thomas went and performed it like men and re- 
turned to our ship, leaving praise behind tfs for 
our good conduct. 

When I went on board that afternoon, after 
having been ashore on duty, the executive officer 




54 

liad a fireman before tlie “ mess” who had drank 
too much bay rum. This fellow was not one of 
the Baltimore boys. He was an Englishman 
who had enlisted at Newport News, Va., having 
fired on the El Rio before she was called the 
Dixie. This man was wild. He fought, cried, 
and said he wanted to see the Admiral, meaning 
the Captain, and concluded by saying, “If you 
will let me see the Admiral he will give me back 
my bay rum and let me go to sleep.- ” 

Mr. Merriam had him put where he could 
sleep for a few days, but he did not let him see 
the Admiral or give him back his bay rum. 

If I am permitted to digress a little from our 
story I will say it is yet a question whether it is 
not better to have a canteen systematically con- 
ducted on board a “ man-of war,” where sailors 
can enjoy the same privilege as a private citizen, 
drinking moderately, being allowed to indulge 
only to a limited degree each day, rather than 
make themselves fools before the public when 

v ^ 

they get ashore after having to play the part of 
an “abstainer” for a period against the pleasure 
of many of them, and besides it might be well 
to thus regulate the sailor's habit, for if there is 
any such thing as “ force of habit,” and I am 
sure there is, a hard drinking sailor might con- 
form to the laws of habit and become satisfied 
with his certain number of drinks each day, and 
when he would get shore liberty he would surely 
not be quite so thirsty as a man who has done 


without drink altogether. Besides, the canteen 
could be turned to a great advantage to the sail- 
or's mess. There would be profit accruing from 
the canteen, of course, and this would be spent 
for extras in the mess. I have not gone into 
this subject as an apologist for the use of’ alco- 
lioiics. I believe in temperance in all tilings 
and in all places, the Navy as well, but nothing 
is a genuine victory that fails to accomplish the 
best results, and that is why one may question 
the abolishment of the canteen. So far as the 
Dixie was concerned there was no canteen on 
board of her, and what I have said in reference 
to that question lias nothing to do with our little 
story. As I have said, I was digressing in order 
to express myself in behalf of the sailors and 
s ddiers, who are seldom given a chance to ex- 
press themselves about matters pertaining to 
their comfort and pleasure whilst in the service 
of their country, and having done so briefly I 
will now return to our boys and the Dixie on 


their way to Porto Rico. 

After spending a day and a night at St. Thom- 
as we steamed out of the harbor and returned to 
Ponce where we spent several days picking up a 
few Spanish words now and then from the na- 
tives. I think, as a whole, our crew got more en- 
joyment out of our stay at Ponce than we had at 
any other period of the war, at least during our 
stay in West Indies. 

When we left Ponce we went directly back to 




56 

Guantanimo. Whilst on our way we met with 
the Yankee which was also going to Guantanimo 
and we had a lively race to see which of the two 
ships would get there first. 

The Dixie kept in the lead for several hours 
and was gaining on her opponent when Captain 
Brownson played a Yankee trick on us by chas- 
ing down a steamer which passed within speak- 
ing distance of us flying the English flag. It was 
not reasonable to presume that this strange 
steamer was a prize, but it was reasonable to 
make her the excuse for getting beat, and that 
was just the trick the Yankee played on us. We 
beat her, “ but it was because we did not keep 
on,” says the Yankee boys. 

I have already said something about our first 
trip into Guantanimo Bay and the beautiful pic- 
ture which our many ships presented lying there 
together. When we returned we found but few, 
if any changes in this remarkable scene. The 
war was now practically over, and we had noth- 
ing to do but to wait for orders to return home, 
but even waiting in Guantanimo Bay was not a 
pleasant duty where nothing could be seen but a 
mountain on one side and a swamp on the other 
and but few places to visit. But some of our of- 
ficers visited Santiago. In fact, all of them I 
think, but there was nothing for the privates to 
do except to take some short trips up the bay 
in the Dixie’s sailing launches; often some of our 
boys would go as far as Fort Caimenaro, which 







57 


was the only civilized looking spot that eye 
could behold from the position of our ships. It 
was whilst we lay in view of this fort that Cap- 
tain Davis conceived the idea of taking from it 
on old bronzed cannon for a relic, and he sent Ca- 
det McCarty with a sufficient number of men to 
negotiate with the proper authorities for obtain- 
ing the gun. Mr. McCarty did no read \ - ■<* 
*ceed in obtaining the coveted relic, lioweve 
returned to the ship without it. 

Captain Davis* idea was to take a good relic 
back with him to Baltimore as a presen and n < 
mento from the Dixie, which was manned by tin 
Baltimore naval reserves, and he did not give up 
the idea of getting the cannon, for he sent Mr. 
McCarty the second time with a note to the offi- 
cer in charge of Fort Cainiena.ro, making a strong 
appeal for the gun. This time he was successful 
and the old Spanish gun will be a lasting monu- 
ment to our boys who served in that war and to 
all Marylanders. 

Whilst we were laying in Guantanimo a rumor 
was current that a Spanish officer had escaped 
from Havana with several million dollars on an 
outgoing steamer. The Dixie and several other 
ships were privileged to put to sea for the pur- 
pose of capturing this large treasure. We cruised 
about on the northern coast of Cuba for 48 hours 
and returned for the third time to our miserable 
hovel, Guantanimo Bay, where we melted in the 
tropics for nearly two weeks, when the order 


58 


came at last for the Dixie to return to the United 
States. Hurrah for Cuba Libre! 

The Dixie had done her part well in this noble 
cause. The Maine had been avenged and the op- 
pressed rescued. The good old State of Maryland 
had won honor and distinction through her or- 
ganization of Naval Reserves of Baltimore City. 
We arrived at Old Point Comfort on the 28th day 
of August, the cleanest ship that had ever en- 
tered that port — so said the quarantine officer — 
from whence we proceeded to Baltimore where 
we were met by the Mayor and thousands of peo- 
ple all anxious to give some expression of joy and 
appreciation concerning us. 

The next day after our arrival at Baltimore, 
there was a public demonstration, a street parade 
and banquet, all in our honor, and I am sure all 
of the Dixie’s crew will remember the hearty 
welcome which was given them on their joyful 
return home. I suppose more than half of our 
crew was mustered out in Baltimore where they 
were glad to remain with loved ones at home, 
and the remainder went with the Dixie to Phil- 
adelphia, where she entered the "League Island 
Navy Yard and soon afterwards all of her crew 
received their certificates for honorable servi- 
ces, and returned to their several homes rejoic- 
ing because the Angel of Peace was once more 
hovering over our Nation. 


Arrival of the Dixie in Baltimore harbor after the war. 





r 


RECAPITULATION, 


The Maryland Naval Reserves was organized 
by Captain Emerson of Baltimore. „ It was a pure- 
ly patriotic spirit which prompted him to form 
the organization, and little did he think when he 
formed it that our Government would call for the 
services of his men in so near a future. But lie 
was and is a man who looks ahead and plans for 
the future Captain Emerson, in forming the 
Naval Battalion of Baltimore, proved the wisdom 
of the time-honored proverb: “In time of peace 
prepare for war.” 

It was at first anticipated by many of the regu- 
lar naval officers from the Annapolis Academy to 
have considerable trouble in training and dis- 
ciplining the Reserves, who had in many cases 
never been to sea. And no one will question the 
reasonabless of this apprehension on their part 
when everything is taken into consideration. 

The Navy was not going to sea on a picnic 
cruise, neither to pay a friendly visit to a foreign 
country. It was going to war. This was a most 
critical moment for our brave officers, and the 
moment when the very best material in the per- 
son of seamanship was needed, and justly ex- 
pected by those who were to command fighting 
ships. But experience has taught us that what 
we mostly need in America is patriotic organiza- 


01 


tions for the defense of the Government in times 
of great emergencies. The experience of these 
organizations as soldiers and sailors may be in- 
deed very limited at the outbreak of hostilities, 
yet in our glorious Republic we need not be al- 
armed at this, since it has been proven that 
true patriotic organization for the defense of the 
country is more powerful than disciplined arm- 
ies in maintaining and preserving the honor and 
dignity of the Government. The Maryland 
Naval Reserves did lack many requirements of 
seamanship, but what they lacked in that par- 
ticular was made up in full by their spirit of 
patriotism and by their eagerness to do their full 
duty for the sake of their country’s honor. Of 
course, there were some indolent ones among our 
Reserves, and the same is true of the regulars in 
both the Army and Navy. There are some men 
in the regular Army and Navy who are as incor- 
rigible to military discipline as some children 
are to good behavior at home. But it is not our 
intention to waste time with the unfaithful at 
this writing. Our object is to give honor to those 
to whom honor is due, and when we have done 
this the United States Volunteers will be placed 
' in the foremost ranks of our country’s protectors 
and mighty will they be as its defenders. 

Our Naval Reserves proved their ability to go 
aboard a warship, and under a good and efficient 
commander, a careful, energetic and patient ex- 
ecutive officer, master every difficulty which 


usually confronts a warship's crew in the time of 
war. Is not the fact here demonstrated that in 
time of peace our great warships need but a suffi- 
cient number of men aboard to keep them in good 
trim until it be necessary to call the volunteers 
out to fight ? The same suggestion may be ap- 
plied to our Army. Why keep a big standing 
army in ti mes of peace when our volunteers prbve 
themselves invincible in time of war? 

Why burden the people with these unnecessary 
expenses? It seems to be unnecessary to tax the 
people in order to keep large armies and crowded 
warships in time of peace, since the National lie- 
serves are found to be equal to all emergencies 
when it becomes necessary for our Republic to go 
to war. 

Let us look at some plain facts. The Dixie be- 
gan her career with novice seamen It was neces- 
sary to put them under a most severe course of 
training which was done, but this did not thwart 
them. Like true Americans they put their hearts 
to it and began to learn the fundamental prin- 
ciples of warfare on board a ship, and it is well 
known that they did learn them. Good 
marksmanship is by far the most essential fea- 
ture of war and this feature was one with which 
our boys had but little knowledge at the time of 
boarding our ship, but after four weeks of consis- 
tent target practice I can say without successful 
contradiction that no ship in our Navy had a bet- 
ter set of gunners than those who composed a 
part of our ship's company. 


63 


So far as other requirements are concerned, it 
is enough to say that when the Dixie returned 
home after the war was over she sailed into port 
possibly the cleanest and best preserved ship of 
any in the world. Then our men were no longer 
novice seamen, for this cannot be said of a ship 
manned by ordinary seamen. Too much consid- 
eration cannot be given to our volunteer Army 
and Navy as they exist in their organized form, 
National Guard ” and “ Naval Reserve. ” They 
should be provided with every source of practi- 
cal information in the rudiments of warfare, the 
same as the regular sailors and soldiers receive. 
Would it be unwise to provide each battalion in 
every state with an instructor from the Army and 
Naval academies, and to pay each man a small 
salary during the annual vacation, for regimen- 
tal drills? This, it appears would put a more 
business like tone to the National Guard phalanx, 
and would not have the appearance of a huge 
summer picnic and excursion party. Nothing 
can be said against our volunteer officers, except 
that they lacked practical experience, and some 
instruction in the minor details of service. Lieu- 
tenants Blunt and sSmitli, to whom were given 
charge of onr prizes, to bring home; certainly 
proved themselves reliable and equal to the 
task. Lieutenant Smith had command of the 
steamer, Greenan Castle, and Lieutenant Blunt 
Captained the Isabelle. Referring to these par- 
ticular instances, we can go so far as to say that 
we sent two of our prizes home in charge of able- 


bodied seamen, (privates) in fact the Dixie’s 
crew did all tha^ was required of them, and could 
have done just what any of the other ship’s crew 
did under similar circumstances. No ship in the 
service had two better engineers, than ours, in 
the person of Mr. Paul and Mr. Powell; both of 
these gentlemen were volunteers. Special men- 
tion may also be made of Lieutenants W. M. 
Goodrich, Coyle, and Murdock, as good and duti- 
ful officers. Mr. Coyle was the Captain’s secre- 
tary. As to Drs. Heiskell and MoKimm; the 
records must be closelv searched to find where 

V 

two naval doctors ha.ve maintained better health 
among a crew of three hundred and thirty sea- 
men, who had been so suddenly transported to a 
strange and different climate, from that which 
they had been lifelong accustomed. If memory 
serves me right upon this occasion, we sent three 
sick men home aboard the Yale while we were 
waiting for orders at Guantanimo bay; the most 
serious of any case among these three was, that 
of a seamen, who had received internal injuries 
by a fall, another case was that of the ship’s clerk* 
who was supposed to have had the consumption, 
still another, who had the gout. But this man, 
who had the gout was an old seamen, who serv- 
ed on the Montgomery in the civil w 7 ar, and he 
must have contracted the gout at that time when 
food was rich and plentiful in the Navy. I am 
told that our soldiers were served to “ salt horse” 
and beans during the civil war. but it was just 


G5 


the reverse in the late Spanish- American war, 
we were served to beans and “ salt horse. ” On 
the latter occasion we had some side dishes, but 
they were usually all boiled in one pot, and at 
the same time. 

Upon our arrival at Hampton Roads, in the 
latter part of August, we had a clean book of 
health, so much so that the quarantine officer 
remarked “ Captain your ship is clean enough to 
tie up to the wharf, ” and indeed we were allowed 
to go ashore for fresh supplies, that very even- 
ing. After summing up everything, which has 
any particular bearing upon our cruise, we may 

well ask could any more have been expected of 
us? And is there any to find fault with this lit- 
tle volume’s narrative of our performances? If so, 
you are only justified in charging the writer with 
not having been able to write the details of our 
cruise in a manner, which gives the good ship 
Dixie and her gallant crew full justice. 


THE END. 


OFFICERS OF THE DIXIE. 


COMMANDER CHAS. HENRY DAVIS. 

Commander Charles Henry Davis is widely 
known on account of his scientific work, oil 
which he has spent much of his time since liis 
graduation from the Naval Academy. He is a 
native of Massachusetts and was appointed to 
the academy from that State in 1861, graduating 
in 1865, the last year of the civil war. 

His first cruise was on the old frigate Colorado 
which was on the Mediterranean station, under 
Admiral Goldsborough. From 1867 to 1870 he 
was on the frigate Guerriere and the sloop of- 
war Portsmouth, on the Brazilian station. In 
1872 he went to the Pacific on the steam sloop- 
of-war Omaha, and also saw service on that sta- 
tion on the Pensacola. 

Upon his return he was assigned to duty at 
the Naval Observatory at Washington, where he 
took up the study of practical astronomy. He 
remained there until 1877, and from 1877 to 1885 
he was engaged in scientific work and had charge 
of several expeditions sent out by the Govern- 
ment to determine differences in longitudes by 
the exchange of time signals over submarine ca- 
bles, This had never before been attempted, 
and was made practicable at that time by the 
general extension of submarine cables over the 
world. It was a study that was particularly at- 
tractive to Commander Davis, who was then a 
lieutenant, as if was in line with his previous 


scientific work. It took him all over the world 
— to the islands of tlie Philippine group, to India, 
China, Japan and Siberia, and all along the coast 
of Europe. 

In 1885 he was promoted to the rank of lieu- 
tenant-commander, and that severed his connec- 
tion with the scientific expeditions. He was put 
in command of a training squadron, composed of 
the Saratoga, Jamestown and Portsmouth, in 
J888 he was put in command of the old ship 
Quinnebaug, of the Mediterranean squadron, 
which ship he brought home and put out of com- 
mission in 1889. From that time until 1892 
Commander Davis was chief intelligence officer 
of the Navy Department, and during 1891-92 he 
was general inspector of the cruiser Montgomery, 
which was building at the Columbian Ironworks, 
Baltimore. After her completion he took com- 
mand of her, and for two years he was in her, with 
Admiral Bunce’s North Atlantic Squadron. Be 
was very fond of the ship, which he says w T as an 
excellent vessel in every respect. 

lie left the Montgomery in 1896 to become a 
member of the general inspection board, of which 
Admiral Dewey, then captain, was president. As 
a member of this board he conducted the speed 
trials of the cruiser Brooklyn, the battle ship 
Iowa and the gunboats built at Newport News 
and Bath, Me. lie remained a member of the 
board for a year, and in July, 1897, he was ap- 
pointed superintendent of the Naval Observatory, 
where he had spent so much time in study. 

When the war with Spain broke out, Comman- 
der Davis wanted a chance to clo some fighting, 
and was assigned to the command of the Dixie, 
the finest and most heavily armored of the aux- 
iliary cruisers. 


68 


Commander Davis is married and lias three 
children. His home has been in Washington 
since he left the Naval Academy. He is a charm- 
ing man personally, loved by those who know 
him best. He wears a closely cropped beard, 
which, like his mustache, is iron gray. It is said 
of him that while he is a strict disciplinarian, he 
is extremely considerate of every officer and 
man under him. 


EXECUTIVE OFFICER MERIUAM. 

The executive officer of the ship, the man next 
in authority to the commander, is Lieut. Green- 
leaf A. Merriam, a native Marylander. He was 
born in Baltimore in 1849 and is a son of Mr. 
Henry A. Merriam, of the old Baltimore firm of 
Brooks, Tibballs & Fulton. 

He was educated in the public schools of Bal- 
timore and at Marblehead, Mass., where he went 
when a youngster. Mr. Merriam was appointed 
to the Naval Academy from Massachusetts in 
July, 1866, and was graduated four years later. 
His first naval service was on the old frigates 
Macedonia and Savannah, Since that time he 
has been almost constanly at sea, although his 
last duty was at the Naval Academy, where he 
was assistant to the superintendent. On April 
16 last he was ordered to report for duty on the 
Dixie and arrived at Newport News on the 18th. 

Mr. Merri am’s home is at Annapolis. He is 
married and his wife is at the Maryland capital. 
He has been of a wonderful amount of service to 
the Maryland Naval Malitia officers on the Dixie, 
and every one of them is ready to swear by him. 


69 


NAVIGATOR DOYLE. 

Lieut. Robert M. Doyle, navigator of the Dixie, 
has a number of friends in Baltimore, many of 
whom were made during the memorable visit of 
the cruiser Baltimore to the city whose name she 
bears in 1890. 

He was born in the western part of Tennessee, 
and was appointed to the Naval Academy from 
that State in 1870. His first service was as mid- 
shipman on the Marion in the Mediterranean and 
later on the training-ship Minnesoto. He was 
promoted to be ensign in 1876, and transferred to 
the Vandalia, which was wrecked later in the 
great hurricane at Samoa. Afterward he served 
three year’s on the home station, and in 1882-83 
was at the hydrographic office at Washington. A 
three-years cruise on the Galena in the North 
Atlantic squadron followed, and was in turn fol- 
lowed by a term of three years at ; the Naval 
Academy as instructor in modern languages. 

Mr. Doyle’s next assignment was to the cruiser 
Baltimore, which had just been completed, and 
he was in her when she came to Baltimore to let 
the people see what she was like. Mr. Doyle 
made a cruise of forty-one months on her and 
thinks she is one of the best ships in the navy. 
During his service oil her she took the body of 
John Ericsson, the inventor of the monitor, to 
Svveeden for burial. She went to Stockholm and 
Copenhagen, then to the Mediterranean, and 
when the revolution broke out in Chili, she was 
ordered there. Mr. Doyle was on board when the 
memorable fight took place on shore between the 
Baltimore’s sailors and the mob in Valpariso, in 
which two of the sailors were killed and which 
nearly resulted in war between the two countries, 


70 


Commodore Schley, the captain, was commander 
of the ship. 

When detached from the Baltimore, Mr. Doyle 
was sent back to the Naval Academy to become 
instructor in seamanship, naval construction and 
tactics. He remained there until 1896, when he 
was ordered to the battleship Texas. After a 
year on her, he was sent to the schoolship Alli- 
ance as navigator, where he remained until or- 
dered to the Dixie on April 18. 


LIEUT. SAMUEL M. BLOUNT. 

The senior officer of the naval militiamen is 
Lieut. Samuel M. Blount, who took the first de- 
tachment of the Dixie detail to Norfolk. He is 
a North Carolinian and a typical Southerner — 
refined, gentle and generous. 

He was born October 25, 1364, in Washington, 
N. C., and is a son of Dr. W. A. Blount, who 
served as a surgeon for the four years of the civil 
war in Fourth North Carolina Cavalry. Lieut. 
Blount was educated at Trinity School, Choco- 
winity, N. C., and at the University of North 
Carolina, at Chapel Hill, which he entered in 
1886. He studied law at the university and 
graduated in 1891. He stopped in Baltimore on 
his way from the World’s Fair in 1393, and then 
decided to make Baltimore his home. After 
studying Maryland law in the office of Rich & 
Bryan, he opened an office and began to practice 
on his own account, but gave up his practice in 
1898 to become general agent for Maryland of 
the Home Life Insurance Company of New York. 

Soon after Mr. Blount came to Baltimore, he 
was elected junior lieutenant of the first divis- 
ion of the Maryland Naval Militia. When the 


71 


second division was formed lie was elected first 
lieutenant and put in command of it. He was 
later elected lieutenant-commander, but resigned 
that office and was elected navigator and ord- 
nance officer. 

Before coming to Baltimore Mr. Blount was 
captain of Company G, First North Carolina 
Regiment. He is a close friend of Commander 
Emerson and Executive Officer Geer, of the Mary- 
land Naval Militia. 


JUNIOR LIEUTENANT SMITH. 

Junior Lieutenant Layton F. Smith is next in 
rank to Lieut. Blount. He was born in Haiti- 
more November 24, 1871. His father was Geo. 
C. Smith, a jeweler, who died when he was nine 
years old. His mother was Miss Eliza Lee Bur- 
rows, of Culpeper, Va 

Mr. Smith was educated at St. Paul's Boys’ 
School. He is a civil engineer, and for two years 
was on the engineering corps working in the 
Belt tunnel. When that work was completed he 
entered the office of Mr, Frederick H. Smith, en- 
gineer of bridges for Baltimore, and superin- 
tended the construction of the Stony run viaduct 
of the City and Suburban Railway, the Colgate’s 
creek bridge, the Maryland Avenue bridge over 
Jones’ Falls, the Edmondson Avenue bridge and 
the Wilkens Avenue bridge. For the last three 
years he has been assistant city engineer in 
charge of bridges. He is a graduate of the me- 
chanical department of the Maryland Institute. 

Four years ago he entered the Naval Militia 
as seaman, six months later was promoted to be 
quartermaster ; for two years he was ensign, and 
for a year had been lieutenant in charge of I)L 


vision. He came down to the rank of junior lieu- 
tenant in order to get service on the Dixie 


JUNIOR LIEUTENANT MURDOCK. 

Junior Lieut. Davies Murdosk is another of 
the Dale’s officers who came down a grade in or- 
der to get in the Dixie’s detail, lie was. born in 
Baltimore August 10, 1860, and was educated at 
Kinnear’s School, Newton Academy and the City 
College. 

For twelve years he was employed by the Na- 
tional Bank of Baltimore as runner, then clerk, 
and then book-keeper. He left the bank to go 
into the electrical business with the Baxter Co., 
the service of which he left to go with the 
Thompson-Houston Co,, which he represented in 
Baltimore until that company and the Edison 
Electric Company consolidated, forming the 
General Electric Company, into whose service 
he entered as Baltimore agent. 

Mr. Murdock joined the Naval Militia two 
years ago as captain’s aide. Later he was elect- 
ed junior lieutenant of B division, and some time 
afterward was put in command of A division as 
lieutenant. 


ENSIGN COYLE. 

Ensign Peter T. Coyle was Commander Davis’ 
clerk, and was very proud of his position, bring- 
ing him as it did into very close relations with 
his chief. He was born in Baltimore, June 26, 
1872. He joined the Naval Militia in March, 
1895, as a seaman, and two months later was 
elected ensign of A division. For about a year 
he had been junior lieutenant, but came down to 
ensign in order to get in the Dixie’s detail. 


73 


ENSIGN GOODRICH. 

Ensign Wm. McLenathan Goodrich was born 
at Middletown, Conn., Oct. 15, 1874. He came to 
Maryland from Atlanta, Ga., and entered the 
Naval Militia in January, 1897, as a seaman. 
Three weeks later he was elected an ensign. He 
has traveled all over the West. 


ENSIGN JACOBS. 

Ensign Benjamin F. Jacobs, jr., is by birth a 
seaman, having first seen the light at sea. He 
was born in 1867 on board the American ship 
Merriinac of Portsmouth, N. H., of which his fa- 
ther was captain. He continued at sea with his 
parents until he was twelve years old, when he 
went to Portsmouth to go to school. 

Mr. Jacobs lived in Portsmouth until 1881, 
when he went to sea again on his father’s ship. 
For three years he was first officer of the Dixie, 
which was then the El Rio, of the Morgan Line. 
When the Government bought the El Rio Mr. 
Jacobs was offered a commission as acting ensign 
on board of her which he accepted. As the ship 
was manned by the Maryland Naval Militia, he 
was first commissioned an ensign in that organi- 
zation. 


SURGEON HEISKELL. 

Dr. Sydney O. Heiskell, former quarantine 
physician for Baltimore, was the surgeon of the 
Dixie and ranks as first lieutenant. He was born 
in Washington, D. C., January 12, 1853. Special 
mention of his service is mentioned elsewhere. 


ASSISTANT SURGEON m’RIM. 

Ensign Smith Hollins McTCim was assistant 


74 


surgeon of the Dixie. He joined the Naval Mi- 
litia as assistant surgeon. He was born in Bal- 
timore Nov. 30, 1872. 


PAYMASTER COOK. 

Paymaster Parker Cook ranks as lieutenant. 
He was born in Baltimore Feb. 16, 1874. He was 
secretary to Commander Emerson before join- 
ing the Dixie detail. In 1894 he entered the 
militia as paymaster’s clerk under the late Ga- 
briel Duval and was appointed assistant pay- 
master when James Payne resigned that office 
recently. * He was appointed paymaster a short 
tiiiie before being assigned to the Dixie. 


CHIEF ENGINEER PAUL. 

‘.The Dixie’s chief engineer is Mr. Robert S. 
Paul, a Philadelphian, who has been chief en- 
gineer of the ship ever since she left the yard in 
1893, and has been on every one of her 87 voy- 
ages between New York and New Orleans. He 
has been a licensed engineer for twenty-four 
years and is forty-four years old. He ranks as 
lieutenant. He was in charge of the El Rio’s 
engines when she made her famous voyage of 
four days, four hours and five minutes, dock to 
dock, from New York to New Orleans, and on her 
trip of three days, twenty hours and thirty-sev- 
en minutes from New Orleans to New York. 


ASSISTANT ENGINEER POWELL. 

The youngest officer in the Maryland contin- 
gent is Ensign H. Todd Powell, the assistant en- 
gineer. He was born in Baltimore Oct. 23, 1876. 
On Feb. 4, 1897, he was promoted to be assistant 
engineer and ensign. 


ASSISTANT ENGINEER BROWNE. 

Richard P. Browne, second assistant engineer 
of the Dixie, has been on her ever since she was 
built. He joined the Naval Militia as ensign 
and received a commission for that rank from 
the Government. He is 36 years old, was bora 
in Belfast, Ireland, and has been an assistant to 
Mr. Paul four and a half years. 


LIEUTENANT HAINES. 

The Dixie’s marines are in charge of First 
Lieutenant Henry C. Haines, who was one of the 
most popular officers on the ship. He was born 
at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., of which his father, 
Gen. T. Haines, U. S. N., w T as commandant. 

He was educated at the Naval Academy, being 
appointed at large and graduating in 1881. His 
class was the first one affected by the law of 1882 
which provided that only enough of the gradu- 
ates of the academy be retained in the service of 
the Government to fill vacancies in the various 
branches of the service. Mr. Haines chose the 
Marine Corps. The First cruise he made was as 
midshipman in the old ship Essex. He after- 
ward made cruises in the Lancaster and the Es- 
sex as marine officer, and was stationed at vari- 
ous times at the Barracks at Washington, Boston 
and Port Royal. 


NAVAL CADET LODGE. 

Acting Cadet George Cabot Lodge, of the Dixie, 
is a son of U. S. Senator Lodge and a nephew of 
Commander Davis. His home is at Nahant, 
Mass., and he was educated principally at 
Harvard. 


76 


PETTY OFFICERS AND CREW. 


Chief Master-a t- Arms, 
J. M. Austin. 

Chief Gunner’s Mate, 

L. C. Swain. 

Chief Quartermaster, 
W. E. Glenn. 

Chief Carpenter’s Mate, 
Patrick H. McCall. 
Chief Yoeraan, (equip- 
ment.) W. A. Turner. 
Paymaster’s Yoeman, 
Harry G. Poutres 
Engineer’s Yoeman, C. 

M, Morfit. 

Ship’s Writer, George 
F. Carey. 

Chief Machinist, Chas. 

C. Constantine. 

Milton W. Boyd. 

George J. Lawrence. 
Boatswain’s Mate, John 
Lund. 

1st class Gunner’s Mate 
and Chief Electrician 
Wm. H. Kirwan. 

1 st class Gunner’s Mates 
R. F. Rooney, Elmer 
H. Kirwan. 

Apothecary, Charles F. 
Scherf. 

First-class Machinists, 
Christian F. Schlutter 
Jas. A. Rittenhouse. 
Plumber, G. B. Erich. 
Bagman, J. T. Poyner. 
Marion Lindsay. 


First-class Boatswain’s 
Mate, Harvey Brunt, 
Benj. Farinholt. 

Second - class Gunner’s 
Mate, M. J. O’Neil, C. 
R. Niquet, Thos. A. 
Henderson. 

Gunner’s Mates, 3d class 
W L. Lightbecker, J. 
R. Howard, E. J. Gal- 
lagher, 

Quartermaster, 2d class, 
Edward Castle, 
Quartermaster, 3d class, 
Geo. Deppell. 
Coxswains, Arthur Stan- 
ley Pattison, W. H. 
Wood, J. A. Martindale, 
C. H. Wheeley, Chas. 
Stone, J J, Pendergrast 
Oilers, C. E. Mullen, D. 
H. Caulk, W. N. Sto- 
well, John Cronin. 
Boilermaker, F, A. Smith 
Water tenders, W T illiam 
Davis, Bernard McMa- 
hon, C. J McNaughton 
Blacksmiths, Sam’l Mc- 
Clean, R. H. Robasson 
Coppersmith, E. M.IIorn 
Second - class Yeoman, 
C. W. Owens. 

Bugler, Chas. S. Lewis. 
Cabin Cook, Moses H. 
Harod. 


77 


Sailmaker, James J. Me- Wardroom Steward, J. 

Donald. J. G a venire n. 

Shipwright, Harry R. Wardroom Cook, J. H. 

Raymond. Smith, 

Cabin Steward, Wm. C. Ship’s Cook, A. Brown, 
Payne. R. Toogood, (4tli class) 

SEAMEN. 


Charles S. Auzinan. 
Isaac D. Boyd. 

Harvey Brunt. 

Harry S. Bowman. 

Ziba E. Bowman. 

0 h arl e s E , Ba 1 1 e n fie 1 d . 
Joseph M. Bruen. 
Charles VI. Bowers. 
Charles G. Biauey. 
Thomas A. Cougleton. 

1 ferny S. Courtney. 
Walter Lee Carter. 
Charles 'A 7 . Cherry. 
Walter W. Connolly. 
Charles E. Donohue. 
George A. Durst. 
George Deppel. 

George W. Grief. 

Wm. E. Goo: i rich. 
Joseph A. Gatcb. 

Robert Green held. 
Easter Jos. Gallagher. 
Albert. J. Gorsuch, 
Charles D. Nerget. 
George Haase. 

Curtis T. H udson. 

Emil Hansen. 

Samuel Wilmer. 

Ernest Wahl. 


James Kichen. 

John R. Howard. 
William 8 Jennings. 
George W G. Kappel. 
John Lyons, Jr. 

Wm. M. Set bold. 
Theodore J. Lighthiser. 
Wallace A Martindale. 
Cora Millard. 
Rutherford S. Maideis. 
Lewis R. Medcalf. 
Harvey J. Meyer. 
James M Macneal. 

Roy G. Ozman. 

Phillip T Poster. 
Herman J. Rausch. 
Charles A. Reinhardt. 
Roland Scherer. 

Wm. F. Sultzer. 
Charles W. Smith. 
Eckhard Scholtz 
Benjamin Schloer. 
Charles Stone. 

John W. Schlobecker. 
H. E. Vannerson. 
George Wahl. 

Charles II. Wheeley. 
Francis P>. Yoyle. 


* > > 
1 .> > 


ORDINARY SEAMEN. 


W. G. Allen. 

Otto B. Baumann. 
Thomas M. Butter, jr. 
Joseph Banks, jr. 
Edward I. Costello. 
Henry Conrad. 

Maurice A. Costello. 
John Conway. 

Joseph F. Carroll. 
August Denenoult. 
Thomas I Duvall. 
George J. Dorn. 
Frederick Fritz. 
Thomas J. Flaherty. 
James Lee. 

Thos. A. Henderson. 
William Lee Hubbard. 
Charles Herbert. 

John G. Heinlein. 

Fred Kaufman. 

Fred H. Lohmeyer. 
Lyman J. Laughton. 
Thomas. H. McG&ry. 
John W McClain. 
Chas. S. McCollum. 
Thomas McSweeney. 


Fred Meyers. 

Walter II. Melvin 
Geo. R. Marks. 
Thomas J. Nappel. 
Chas. A. Nelson. 
Clarence Weems. 

Win. II. Poehler. 
Milton Poiitzer. 
William A Poulton. 
Chas. F. Ruby 
Alfred Rivers. 
Frederick C. Rotli 
William L. Rierner. 
Herbert B. Swindell. 
George T. Scones 
William T. Stevens. 
George V. Stevenson. 
James T. Stahl. 
Eugene R. Stagmer. 
Robert R. Stagmer. 
Thomas L, Townsend. 
Wm. J. Trautwein. 
William Young. 
Joseph E. vV atson. 
Thomas ( '. Welch. 
Harry S. White. 


LANDSMEN. 


C. w. Ashmore. 

Geo. O. Briggs. 
Joseph H. Browning, 
Joseph E. Bentz 
Conrad Beisterman. 
Charles Beck. 

John Bee li told. 

G. S. Beckenbaugti. 
Joseph A. Challou. 


Frank L. Derr. 
Edward Dill. 

Walter W. Davis. 
Kerman Fluegal. 
Walter H. Frederick. 
Ellis Fox. 

F. C Feldhaus. 
Charles D. Germroth, 
John M. Gorderman. 


79 


Edw. D. Harbaugh. 
Earl W. Hewitt. 
Joseph HefFeran. 
John A. Holton. 

Geo. W. Hamilton. 
Frank W. liamill. 
Louis R. Haase. 
Charles P, Hayes. 
John T. Howard. 
Wm. Rankle Ittner. 
Frank B. Kesmodel. 
Geo. F. Krantz. 

Wm. L. Kirminett. 
John J. Lavender. 
Charles S. Lues. 
Charles S. Lewis. 
George W. Lyttle 
Harry C. Mattern. 


Milton D. Met tee. 

William MeCloskey. 

FIREMEN. 


Robert S. Murray. 
Neiison E. McClure. 
Herman Mashmeyer. 
Edward C. McCulley. 
Joseph Mauler. 
Charles G. Luers. 
Harry E. Richter. 
William Russell. 
Vincent Scuully. 

( diaries E. Scully. 
Michael Smith. 

John Schroeder. 
Louis Spanoli. 

George J. Schultz. 
Herman Schlufter. 
John w. Tragesser. 
william w. walker. 
Horace G. wilson. 
Louis walther. 


James Bradley. 

Chas. C. Chambers. 
Francis P. C rane. 
Jaseph Connors. 
Thomas J. Dougherty. 
Allred Dame. 

James Donohue. 
William Davis. 

John F. Dolan. 

Frike Flaherty. 

John J. Fahey. 
Thomas Frizzell. 

Wm. J. Fitzpatrick. 
John C. Griffin. 

Win. M. Garrett. 

Joins Gavin, 


George E. Ittner. 
Patrick H. Lackey. 
Chas E. Mullin. 
-William N. Stowell. 
John P. Meginney. 
Bernard McMahon. 
Chas. J. McNaughton, 
Chas. O. Nelson. 
David O. Ryder. 
Patrick F. Riley. 

John Reese. 

Howell Royston, 
William T. Taylor. 
Louis wise 
Talbot white. 



COAL PASSERS 


Joseph Patrick. 
Fred Baker. 
Hayes Cottrell. 
John Oasgrave. 
John wesiey. 
Emanuel Frank. 
Frank Rudolph. 
Jacob G Kemp. 
Geo. w. Kaufman. 
John S. Manly. 


Fielder Martindale. 
Frank Litz. 

'Thomas Pendergast. 
Francis w. Peyle. 
Dennis P. O’Neil. 
John J. Riley. 

George Seidel. 
Conrad H Schlutter. 
James J. whalen. 


M ESS ATTENDA NTS. 

win. 11. Hayraan, Alexander Marshall, Charles 
w. Redden, william J. Simpson 


MARINES. 

Sergeants — Dennis Morgan, James Kavanagh 
and Charles P. Mill. 

Corp >rals — Richard Cameron James rarroll, 
Harry E. Schultz. 

Dr a m sner- A l bore Ha w k i n s . 

Fifer - Harvev Denner. 

<•* 

Privates — Edwin N. Appleton, wm. J. Bresiin, 
Harrison D Bayer, John F. Carney, win. Conner, 
Edwin R. coraker, Michael M Devlin, Michael w 
Eagan, Patrick Foley, Samuel I. Fisher, Domi- 
nick Garvin, william VI. Grabill, John F. Holly, 
Jacob Halcomb. John O. Harris, Alfred Jay, Rich- 
ard F. Kralisheck, Paul Kraft, John T. Kinzey, 
Anton Li tzenburger, John D. O’Donnell. Frank E. 
Roberts, Thomas Shields, John Simpson. David 
Smith, Albert Stark. Frederick G. Smith, Louis , 
F. Thies, Edward G. wolf, diaries F. waterman, 
Philip c. warren and Robert Young. 


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